Absorption refrigeration system.



J. B.` HOWE.

AsoRPloN- REFRIGERATION SYSTEM.

APPLICATIGN FILED APR. I, |914.

1mm@ Nov.' 2, 191:.

O @Nl -WU w 4- Mgg l archers.

Jenn B frown, or ATLANTA, esonera.

ABSORPTON -REFRIGERATION SYSTEM.

" Appucauoameaaprn10,1914. seriainasaoesv.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I', JoHNcB. Hown, a

. citizen of the United States,l residing at Atlanta, in the county of'Fulton and State of Georgia, have invented new and useful Improv'ements.' in bsor tion. Refrigeration Systems, of which the cation.

This invention relates toimprovements in ollowing is a specifiabsorption refrigerationfsystems. In practice, these systems' are of two kinds, high The exhaust steam systems lare operated,

4 with boiler pressure on `thevauxiliary appa-5 ratus, but with exhaust pressure on the gen# 4 erators and,'therefore, require more exten- :sive heat absorbing surfaces in the generators. The chief objections to this type of installation is found in its initial cost and in excessive loss 'of heat due to radiation. -There are also other substantial objections to which it isunnecessary to refer, but which are concerned with .added maintenance, cost l and waste or dead'loss of heat.

Thebbjects of the present invention are to provide a system which maybe installed at relatively lowcost and mayI be operated at a minimum y.expense and with high ethciency. Pursuant to this object, the present system provides for the generation of gas on high pressure steam, for the utilization of but one application of. extrinsic heat to eii'ect both primary land secondary gas generating operations, for the utilization of the exhaust steam to heat the rich aqua before it reaches the generators, forl the utilization ofthe gas as a motive power agency in 0perating a dynamodriving engine by means of Iwhlch power for the operation of all the auxiliary apparatus is developed, for the utilization of the weak aqua in making up the deficiency of distilled water required for ice, for the utilization of the weak aqua in heating the boiler feed water, and for the correlation of the various elementsof the apparatusingsuch manner that the utiliza- 'tion of heat' is mosteiiicient .as regards both the relative number or percentage of units Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

brought into play and the manner of their employment. A refrigerating system in which the features of theinvention are incorporated is illustrated in theA accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a diagram of the system as an entiretygpFig. 2 isra dtail sectional view of the secondaryv generator. i

The rich aqua is formed in an absorber l of any suitable construction from which it is forced by a pump 2 to the primary generator 3. In the generator 3 the gas is `liberated by steam under high pressure which is transmitted to said generator directly from the boiler il through a pipe 5. The generator 3 may be of any approved construction capable of efficiently utilizing direct or high pressu-re steam in the distillation of the gas.

vThe two fluids which pass through the generator 3, z'. c., the rich aqua and the .ste-am, both pass through an element 6, the

rich aqua passing through the element 6 befo're it reaches the generator 8 and the steam passing through the element 6 after it leavesl the generator V3. The element 6 is a heat interehanger and its function is two fold, viz: to preliminarily heat the rich aqua so as to promote the boiling oli' of the gas in the generator 3 and to condense the steam which exhausts from said generator. The rich aqua heater G is connected to the pump 2 -by a pipe 7 and the rich. aqua is conveyed from the heater 6 to the generator 3 by a pipe 8 which to all intents and purposes forms a continuation of the pipe 7. The steam which exhausts from the generator 3 is' conducted by a pipe 9 to the rich aqua heater 6 where it yields its remaining heat to the inflowing stream of aqua and is thereby condensed, the distilled water being conducted away by a pipe 10 to the ice making `suitable construction are interposed inthe line 11. The 'separator 14 returns any aqua that may have been carried over with the escaping gas to thegenerator 3. The gas passes to theengine from the separator 14. The engine 15 is utilized tomdrive a dynamo 16 which furnishes current lfor the operation of various auxiliary apparatus in able construction, the ohice'bf which is t6 group f thereof prevent pressure from accumulating in the generator 3 when the engine 15 is idle or when the gas which is being generated is not being usedwith sufficient rapidity.

The aqua from which gas has been liberated is conducted away from the generator v3 to a secondary generator 19. The aqua,

as it leaves the generator 3, is highly heated, having a temperature of approximately 250 and in effecting a further liberation of gas in the secondary generator 19, the intrinsic .heat of the aqua is alone used and there is no further addition of heat from an extrinsicsource.

In order that the heat of the aqua itself maybe utilized in effecting the separation of any gas carried over from the primary genera-tor it is necessary that the aqua should he broken up into a spray in the secondary generator. For this purpose it is preferred to use the secondary generator construction shown in Fig. 2 which, however, is to be vregarded merely as by way of example. The pipe 20 which conducts the hot aqua from the generator 3 to the generator 19 is con- 4nected to the upper end of a tubular column 21 whichis arranged centrally and axially of the casing of the generator 19. @he column 21 forms, ineiiect, an angular extension of the pipe 20 and isprovided at suitable intervals with groups of spraying nozzles 22. The nozzles 22 radiate in an up- `ward direction from the columnill and each is arranged. under a conical deflector 23. The nozzles 22 discharge the hot aqua against the concave under sides of the defiectors 23 which cause the sprays of aqua to fall toward the lower end of the casing of the generator. The aqua accumulating in the lower end of the casing is conducted away by a pipe 24.` By virtue of the heat of the aquai an'd of the fact that itfalls for a substantial length, in the form of a spray, in the generator 19, any gas which may have been carried over from the generator 3 is liberated and is conducted away by a pipe 25 to the line of piping 11.

It may be observed that the gas which furnishes power` for the `operation of the engine 15 exhausts from said engine at the saine pressure as the gas which is carried to the line 11 through the pipe 25. ln order to. provide for the regulation of the intcnsity of the streams which are discharged by the 'nozzles 22, the column 21 is provided at its lower end with an angular discharge 11, this connection having menare pipe 50 which has a portion thereof disposed externally of the casing of the gen erator 19 and provided with a regulating Valve 5l. `Obviously, when the .flow of liquor through the pipe 50 is reduced by the manipulation of the valve 51, the intensity of the streams discharged by the nozzles 22 is increased, and, on the other hand, wheni the flow of aqua through the pipe 50 is in creased by the manipulation of the valve 51, the-intensity of the streams discharged by the nozzles 22 is reduced.

At this point it may be noted that the secondary generator herein disclosed, while especially useful when combined in the manner described with the generator 3, will also perform efficient service when used by itself as a primary generator either with the aid `of internally arranged heating surfaces for '26,`a. boiler feed water heater 27 and a weak liquor cooler 28, passing from the latter to the absorber 1. The weak liquor of course gives up a relatively large percentage of its heat in the vacuum evaporator 2G and in the boiler feed water heater 2i' and is, therefore, readily reduced to the temperature requisite for the re-absorption of ammonia by the agency of the cooler 28. The cooler 28 and the boiler feed water heater 27 may be of any suitable construction but it "is convenient and preferred. to employ the well known counter current heat interchanger, and such a construction is shown diagrammatically' in the drawings. The boiler feed Water is utilized as the cooling medium in the cooler 28 and is conducted to said cooler directly from the vboiler feed pump, (not shown), by a pipe 29. The boiler feed water is conducted from the cooler 28 to the boiler feed Water heater27 by a pipe 30. The boiler feed water is of course preliminarily warmed in the cooler 28 and its temperature is, therefore, readily raised in the'boiler feed Water heater 27. The heater 27 is connected with the boiler 4 by a pipe 31 which is provided with a branch 32 leading to the vacuum evaporator 2G. Thus, the water which discharges from the heater 27 is dividedinto two streams,

one lof which passes to the boiler and the otherof which passes to the vacuum evaporator 26. The Weak liquor is conducted from the vacuum evaporator 2G to the fei water heater 27 by-a pipe 33 and 'after eirculating through the coils of said heater it is conducted from the latter to theweak liquor cooler 2R by a pipe 34. The cold weak liquor is conducted fromthe cooler 28 to the absorbery l by a pipe 35. AThe absorber is provided with a gas conducting pipe 36 isa through which gas is induced into the absorber to be taken up by the cold liquor. V.'Ihelo'iice ofthe vacuum evaporator 26-is to utilize the heat of the hot Weak liquor issuing from the secondary generator 19 in making up the deficiency of distilled Water required for ice. The vacuum evaporator 26 maybe of any suitable construction for the purposes in view. It preferably includes a casing which is connected atone ing of the evaporator 26 `is .readily converted into steamv by the heat of the liquor passing through the coil 37 in coiijunctionwith the low pressure created by the vacuum pump.

The steam conducted by the pipe 38 is condensed in the condenser 39 and is carried away by a pipe/40 to theice-making appara-tus. Y

` By virtue of the features of arrangement and combination herein described, the

amount gf liquor required is reduced to a.

minimum, and there is, therefore, a reduc tion of the load on thev auxiliary apparatus, the generation of gas is' effected with maximum eliiciency and 'with relatively small' heat exchanging surfaces; the heat of the Weak aqua lisetliciently utilized for various useful purposes iii connection with the operation ofthe system throughout the travel of said aqua from the generators to'the absorber; the radiation losses are reduced to a minimum; and the actual waste or dead loss of heat units is negligible.

Having fully described claim 1. In a refrigerating system, in combination, a gas generator, a steam line leading thereto, a gas'line leading therefrom, a condeiiser at the end of the gas line,-a gas opeiated engine interposed in the gas line, a shunt connection also interposed in the gas line and a relief valve in the shunt connection.

Q. Ina refrigerating system, in combination, primary and secondary generators, a rich aqua line'leading to the primary generator, high pressure steam line leadin to the primary generator, an aqua lino leading from the primary to the secondary genmy invention, I

erator, means for breaking the liot aqua in the secondary generator into a spray whereby the intrinsic heat of the aqua is utilized in the secondary generator in liberating the -gas and gas 'conducting pipes leading from said generators.

3. In a refrigerating system', asp'ray generator, an-aqua pipe communicating therewith, a vertical column arranged within said generator as a continuation of said pipe and having spraying nozzles, an aqua conducting pipe leading from the lower end of the generator'and a bent pipe provided at the lower end of the coluninand discharging aqua into the generator, the said pipe having a portion thereof external to said generator provided with a regulating valve.

4411i' a refrigerating system, in combina-- tion, a rich aqua line, a gas generator, means for heating the rich aqua before it reaches said generator, a gas pipe leading from the generator, means for 4causing the aqua to pass through vthe geiiei ator as a falling spray whereby the intrinsic heat of the aqua may be utilized to liberate the gas, and means for conducting the weak liquor away from the generator. Y l

5.In a refrigerating system, .a spray generator, a rich aqua pipe communicating therewith, 'spray nozzles arranged within said generator and which are supplied by said pipe, and means for controlling thel force of the aqua issuing from said spray nozzles.

6. In a refrigerating system,I in combination, a richaqua line, a gas generator, means for heating the rich aqua before it reaches the said generator, a gas pipe leading from` the generator, the generator including means for utilizing the intrinsic heat of the laqua to ellect the liberation` of gas, and

means foi' conducting the weak liquor away from the generator.

7. In a refrigerating system, in combination, primary land secondary generators, a rich aqua line leading to theprimary generator, a steam line leading to the primary generator, an aqua line leading from the primary to the secondary generator, the latter including means for utilizing the intrinsic heat of the aqua to effect the liberation of gas, and gas conducting pipes leading from said generators.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- IIGSSES.

JOHN B. HOVVE.

' Vitiiesses:

J. W. BRUZELL, G. W. MCDANIEL. 

